I've been lurking on the various forums for six months or so and finally thought that I really ought to check in.I"m sorta retired but have been serving as an interim pastor in an urban residential area church for the past ten years. I've enjoyed reading the coments in several of forums and wanted to take a more visible role.

Jack Lottey wrote:I've been lurking on the various forums for six months or so and finally thought that I really ought to check in.I"m sorta retired but have been serving as an interim pastor in an urban residential area church for the past ten years. I've enjoyed reading the coments in several of forums and wanted to take a more visible role.

Ed: Welcome Jack! I hope your lovely wife was at church with you this morning, we missed her at Burnt Hills, and thought about both of you as we passed your church on the way from the Blue Ribbon Diner to the Hospital to visit Anna H. who had knee replacement surgery this week. I am looking forward to your participation here.

Yep, ten years. The search committee had been told they couldn't call an interim pastor so they just let it run on. I had been an interim there before and the called pastor left after two and a half years. They had just about spent their entire endowment with a pro bono pastor they are able to balance their annual budget and do a fair job in an mission outreach support. Officially we are an American Baptist Church but we do almost everything within an ecumenical cluster of neighborhood churches: 2 Roman Catholic, a Reformed, a Methodist, Lutheran and ABC. The group is a part of the Schenectady Inner City Ministries and participates in their outreach ministries (i.e., Food Pantry, Summer Lunch Program, Crop Walk, etc.). It's really a very rewarding ministry.

Jack Lottey wrote:Yep, ten years. The search committee had been told they couldn't call an interim pastor so they just let it run on. I had been an interim there before and the called pastor left after two and a half years. They had just about spent their entire endowment with a pro bono pastor they are able to balance their annual budget and do a fair job in an mission outreach support. Officially we are an American Baptist Church but we do almost everything within an ecumenical cluster of neighborhood churches: 2 Roman Catholic, a Reformed, a Methodist, Lutheran and ABC. The group is a part of the Schenectady Inner City Ministries and participates in their outreach ministries (i.e., Food Pantry, Summer Lunch Program, Crop Walk, etc.). It's really a very rewarding ministry.

Jack, welcome! It sounds like you serve in an interesting community. The ecumincal cooperation sounds exciting!

I am a former Baptist now United Methodist who hangs out here because of old friendships and associations. I grew up in the SBC and spent over 18 years serving in the ABC/USA.

Welcome! I'd like to hear more about your ecumenical community service activities. I think the "cross-pollination" that goes on when different denominations cooperate makes for healthier more vibrant church life all around. Some folks like living in the same old rut. To me that's a grave with both ends knocked out. I hope to hear more from you.

Don't despair if your job and your rewards are few, remember that the mighty oak was once a nut like you!

Welcome, Jack, very belatedly, if in fact you ever see this. I see you haven't been around for months and am not sure how your welcome thread came to be active, but it would indeed be nice to hear from you. I hope your self-disclosure about the terms of your engagement didn't cost you points with local lurkers.

Haruo wrote:Welcome, Jack, very belatedly, if in fact you ever see this. I see you haven't been around for months and am not sure how your welcome thread came to be active, but it would indeed be nice to hear from you. I hope your self-disclosure about the terms of your engagement didn't cost you points with local lurkers.

Ed: Haruo, I don't think Jack has disclosed anything most of us locally didn't know. But I would like to see him be more active here especially in the ABC forum. He is one of my major go to guys on ABC historic activity although he is to my left on a few issues.